US2820676A - All purpose firefighting nozzle - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1958 R. F. cLEAvEs ALL PURPOSE FIREFIGHIING NOZZLE Filed July 16, 1954 FIG. 2.

INVEN TOR. ROYDON F. 'CLEAVES ATTORNEYS Unite tas ALL PURPGSE FIREFIGHTING NOZZLE Roydon F. Cleaves, Falls Church, Va.

Application July 16, 1954, Serial No. 443,979

Claims. (E31. 299-444) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. (lode (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to an improvement in combination hose nozzles of the type used for fire fighting purposes. A common type of nozzle commonly used to fight fires is a dual purpose nozzle having a valve incorporated therein so that a solid stream of water or a fog may be obtained at the will of the operator. It is Well known that a solid stream of water applied to an oil fire will spread or scatter the burning oil with disastrous results. The dual purpose nozzle according to the present invention is designed to prevent accidental application of a solid stream to an oil fire, the term oil including any lighter-than-water inflammable liquid.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a safety feature for dual purpose fire fighting nozzles.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dual purpose fire fighting nozzle which is convenient and easy to operate, the nozzle having a simple safety means that prevents accidental shifting to solid stream operation and the resultant hazards thereof.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide safety features for dual purpose fire fighting nozzles with a minimum of modification of standard and existing equipment.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top-plan view, partly in section, of a dual-purpose, fire-fighting nozzle embodying the safety feature according to the invention;

vFigure 2 is a sectional view of the nozzle of Figure 1, taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a detail view of a portion of the nozzle structure of Figure 1 showing a positive positioning or movement-limiting means which forms a portion of the safety device constructed in accordance with the inven tion, this figure being in section substantially along the line 33 of Figure l.

The nozzle structure to which the present invention is applied is one which is broadly old and well known in the prior art. It consists of a dual-purpose nozzle equipped with a three-way valve structure for control purposes. The nozzle has a single inlet fitting adapted to be attached to a hose, and a pair of outlets. One of the outlets is equipped with a fog-producing nozzle, while the other is shaped to form a solid stream. The body of the nozzle structure between the inlet and outlets houses a three-Way valve structure which may be of the cylindrical plug or spherical stop type. This valve may be used'to shut the water as or to direct its flow to either of the above-described outlets.

Referring now to the drawings, the nozzle structure generally designated by the numeral 11 is formed of a body casting 13 and a hose end casting 15 which are joined to form the nozzle structure, as 'by threads formed on the two castings at 17. The hose end casting 15 is equipped with threads 14 and a gasket 16 for attachment to a hose. The body casting 13 houses a valve structure comprising a spherical member or ball 19 having a bore 2i) therethrough. The ball 19 cooperates with a ball seat 21 in the body casting 13 and a rear seat '23 in the casting 15. The seats 21 and 23 are in grooves machined :in their respective castings, and are formed of rubber, neoprene or similar materials and are cemented in place. The spherical or ball member 19 is mounted upon a handle shaft 25 which passes through the body 13 and is supported in a s'tufiing box including a packing nut 27. The structure of the stuffing box is well known in the art and is not shown in the drawing. 7

The body 13 has a fog outlet bore 29 and a solid stream bore 31 located therein. The fog bore 29 terminates in an enlarged counterbore 33 having a fog tip 35 mounted therein. The bore 31 is internally shaped to pass a solid stream of water. These details are well known in the art and need not be more specifically described herein.

The handle shaft 25 has a side or arm of an operating handle 37 amxed thereto by a suitable means such as a tapered pin 39. The handle has a rod or cross piece 40 as a hand grip. The other side or arm of the operating handle 37 is pivoted upon a stud or boss 41 formed upon the body casting 13. Movement of the handle 37 turns the ball or valve member '19. The operating handle 37 is shown in solid lines in the shut or ofi position with its two other alternative positions fog and open indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2. It will be apparent from the sectional. view that with the handle 37 in the fog position, the bore 2:? in the spherical member or ball 19 forms a communicating passage between the inlet and the fog outlet bore 29. Similarly, with the handle in the open position, the bore 20 connects the inlet with the solid stream bore 31.

It has been the practice in the prior art to place a spring-pressed "ball detent member in the operating handle cooperating With the index holes in the body 13 to indi cate to the operator by feel when the handle was located in each of the three possible positions. The detent means formed only a position indicator and was not a positive stop. Particularly when the nozzles were used by personnel not thoroughly trained in their use and under conditions of stress the detent mechanism allowed an operator inadvertently to pull the handle through the fog position to the open position of the valve. In the case of oil or gasoline fires particularly this becomes very dangerous. Such fires when hit by a solid stream of water are scattered and create additional hazards both to property and personnel.

The handle 37 used in the present invention is moditied with a very simple but positive positioning or movement limiting mechanism obviating the above hazard. Referring to Figure 1, the body casting is machined with a fiat face or surface 43 surrounding and perpendicular to the axis of the boss 41. The body casting 13 is drilled perpendicularly to the surface 43 to provide a plurality of openings bounded by wall portions cooperating with a key means, to limit the valve movement. Specifically, three openings 45 corresponding in number to the three operating positions of the valve indicated in Figure 2, are provided.

The key means comprises a key 47 adapted to be placed into and removed from the openings in an exceptionally easy manner. To this end, a thumb-actuated member in the operating handle 37 is provided which is convenient to the thumb of an operator grasping the grasp rod 40 of the handle 37, and is shown best in Figure 1. Que

side of the operating handle comprises a radial arm 48 which is hollowed out to form a recess 49 therein. A lever. 50. member-is mounted in the recess 49. on a pivot member .51" which may be afpin' or a screwextending a cover plate 57 which is secured to the handle as by screws 59 engaging tanned holes in the handle proper. The cover plate is shorter thanthe recess 49 and leaves 1 an opening at onetend thereof through which the thumb piece 55 protrudes in a location at the side and end of the operating handle 37 for convenient access by the operator. V

The cylindrical key 47 protrudes from the portion of operating handle 37 whichbear's against the flat surface 43.

- A coil spring 61 is placed in a bore 63 at an end of recess 49 in the grasp rod 4-0 which meets the recess 49. The coil spring 61 engagesthe lever 50 in such a manner as to force the thumb piece 55 outwardly of the handle structure, and to force the cylindrical key member 47 into engagement with one of the openings 45. In the position shown, key 47 is in engagement with the shut opening 45 and it will be apparent that the handle 37 is thus positively positioned in the shut position and cannot turn about the boss 41.

When it is desired to shift the position of the valve, the thumb piece 55 is depressed to cause the lever member 50 to pivot about member 51 to move the key 47 from shut opening 45. The handle may then be rotated so'the key clears this opening and then the thumb piece may be released. The operating handle may be rotated until the next operating position of the valve is reached. At this point the key 47 willride along the surface 43 until itreaches the next opening 45 into which the spring 61 will force the key 47 to again fix the position of the operating handle.

From the above explanation, it will be apparent that the firefighter approaching an oil tire with the improved nozzle structure according to the invention can position the valve for operation ,in the desired position in which it remains until forcibly and intentionally moved therefrom by the firefighter. During operation of the equipment, the element 53 and each receptacle or opening 45 cooperate to positively position'the handle 37, and to prevent accidental shifting of the handle from its set position. Only through deliberate action of the firefighter can the valve be moved from one positive position to the other because the wall portions of the receptacles45 act as stop or holding means limiting movement of element 53 beyond its set positionhence providing positive positioning. The valve position stays positive and cannot he accidentally jarred out of its positive position determined by the wall portions.

'Obviously many modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise thanas specifically described.

What is claimed is: 7

4 1. -An-.all purpose firefighting nozzle comprising a body section having a water inlet passage and a plurality of outlet bores therein, a fog nozzle secured at the outlet end of 'oneof said outlet bores, a rotary valve member located in said body section between said water inlet passage and said outlet bores, and adapted in various positions thereof to selectively connect said water inlet passageto said outlet bores, an operating handle means located exteriorly of said body'section and mechanically connected to said rotary valve member, said handle means having a hand grip rod, a positive valve-positioning means comprising a pivoted lever having oppositely'directed end portions, a first of said end portions comprising a key, said valve positioning means also comprising a plurality of s aced key-receivin g opening means interposed between said operating handle means and said body section effective to selectively positionsaid valve means, the second of said end portions comprising a separate finger-pressable means at said hand grip rod for releasing said key from an associated opening.

2. An all purpose firefi hting nozzle comprising a main body section having an internal valve section, an inlet passage at one side of said valve section and a pair of distinct outlet passa es at another side of said valve section, a valve member infsaid valve section; movable} to three positions in a first of which the nozzle is closed, in a second of which said inlet passage is in communication with a firstof said outlet passages, and in.a third of which it is in communication with'the second of said outlet passages. an operating handle means connected to said valve member for movin said member selectively to any one of said positions, said handle means comprising a transverse hand grasp rod and a radial arm extending from said hand grasp rod to said body section, said arm having a sidewise outwardly facing longitudinal recess, a lever in said recess having a bent end forming a key bent toward said body section, said body section being provided with a smooth portion on which said key can slide, said smoothportion having a, plurality of spaced holes corresponding with said positions, and manually releasable bias means associated with said lever and biasing said key toward said holes. h

3. A firefighting nozzle as defined in claim 2 but further characterized by a top plate substantially covering said recess.

4. An all purpose firefighting nozzle comprising a main body section having an internal valve section, an inlet passage to one side of said valve section and apair of distinct outlet passages at another side of said valve section, a rotary valve member in said valve section and rotatable about an axis to three positions in a first of which the nozzle is closed, in a second of which said in let passage is in communication with a first of said outlet passages, and in a third of which it is in communication with the second of said outlet passages, anoperating handle exteriorly of said body section having a transverse hand grasp rod and a pair of radial arms extending from said hand grasp rod to the sides of said body section, said body section having an external boss rotatably receiving a first of said arms, said valve member having a shaft extending through said body section and rotatably receiving the other of said arms, said first arm having a longitudinal recess having a first opening-extension-a't one end directed toward said body portion and a second opening-extension at the other end, a lever in said recess, said lever having bent ends in said opening-extensions, a first of said bent ends providing a key, said body section being provided with spaced holes corresponding with said positions, fulcrum means betwen said ends for said lever,-

and biasing means biasing said key toward said holes, the second of said bent ends comprising a thumbpiece operable to overcome said biasing means.

5. A firefighting nozzle as defined in claim'4 but further characterized by a top plate substantially covering said recess except for said thumbpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 943,838 Miller Dec. 21, 1909 961,466 Shade June 14, 1910 1,466,760 Schribner Sept. 4, 1923 1,581,430 Edmunds Apr. 20, 1926 2,043,714 Schellin June 9, 1936 2,484,942 Guise Oct. 18, 1949 2,806,741 Fishelson et a1. Sept. 17, 1957

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